Aware
by One Emerald Dragon
Summary: It was yet another fight in yet another corridor. However, something was different this time.  Harry P./Draco M.


_It was yet another fight in yet another corridor. However, something was different this time. Or maybe nothing was different. Perhaps it had been there all along, waiting for the boys to become aware. Aware of themselves. Aware of each other._

Harry was brooding. He was tired of being alone. Ron and Hermione had each other, and he was often the third wheel. He tended to make himself scarce when they showed signs of imminent snogging. He was alone a lot these days. Not that he was upset about that; he was very happy for them. He'd seen it coming for years. But it had always been the three of them. And nothing against his friends, but a threesome really didn't appeal to him.

He'd tried dating, of course. After the disaster with Cho, he didn't give up on girls. He'd dated Ginny 6th year and it had been wonderful. But they had both changed so much during the war. When they tried to pick up where they left off, there was nothing. No spark. They agreed they were more like brother and sister than anything else. Ginny was a good friend now, and they spent time together, but Ginny was back with Dean and had less time to hang out with him.

Harry had gone out with other girls, but something wasn't right. He couldn't bring himself to go on a second date with any of them. He was getting a reputation as a bit of a playboy, but the truth was, he wasn't really attracted to any of them. Which is why he was wandering the corridors in the middle of the night, brooding. He found himself attracted to boys much more than girls. This fact shocked him to the core, and he didn't know what to do about it.

He didn't think there was anything wrong with being gay. The Dursleys were all raging homophobes, of course. He figured anything they hated as much as they hated him and magic must be alright. He'd just never thought he might be gay himself. But he had to face the truth. Girls were pretty enough, but guys...guys were hot! And after last night, there was no doubting he was gay.

Gryffindor had beaten Ravenclaw at Quidditch yesterday. Even though 8th years weren't allowed to play, he had to support his team at the games. And attend the celebration party in the common room after. Drinks were flowing, and the 7th and 8th years were drinking Firewhiskey smuggled in by Seamus and Dean. Harry had been leaning against the wall sipping his drink when a very drunk Seamus approached him. Seamus had launched himself at Harry, causing him to drop his drink. Harry hadn't seen that coming at all! Yet when Seamus' lips met Harry's, the world disappeared. It felt so good to be in another guy's arms. Smooth, hard places instead of soft rounded thrusting in imitation of sex rather than gently teasing. When the kiss ended, the entire room was staring at him, and he was absolutely certain he was gay.

So here he was, walking along moodily, wondering what to do next. He wasn't going to date Seamus. They had talked about that this afternoon. Both of them realized they weren't really that attracted to one another. Seamus had offered to teach him a few things, but Harry wasn't sure he wanted that. Now that Gryffindor knew he was gay, the whole school would find out soon enough. Harry wasn't sure he was attracted to any one person as of yet, but he was willing to have an open mind.

Naturally, since Harry wanted to be alone with his thoughts, he ran into someone as he rounded a corner. And of course, it would be the one person he'd most rather not see. Not that he still hated Malfoy. Saving a man's life made it a little hard to feel raging hate for him any longer. He didn't like him, exactly, but he didn't hate him. Harry didn't see any reason to let Malfoy know that, however.

"Watch where you're going, Malfoy!"

"Potter! I should have known you'd be lurking in dark corners. Don't you have anything better to do? Or did your two cohorts get up to something and forget to invite you?"

"Shut it, Malfoy."

"Why don't you make me, Potter?"

"For Merlin's sake, do we have to keep doing this?"

Harry grabbed Malfoy by the wrists and shoved him up against the wall.

"Wait!" Malfoy squawked. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Shutting you up, like I said."

Harry leaned in toward Malfoy's lips, not so much thinking of kissing him as silencing him for a change. However, as he grew closer to Malfoy's body, he felt his skin begin to tingle. This might be something worth considering. The closer he got, the more he wanted the kiss. He focused on Malfoy's face, looking into his eyes.

Draco was astonished. He knew he was gay, though he'd never kissed another boy. He hadn't exactly had the time to explore his feelings the past few years. But he'd never have guessed Harry might be gay as well. Yet it seemed right somehow. After all, they'd always been passionate about each other. He waited for Harry's lips to touch his own, the anticipation almost more than he could bear.

"Mr. Potter! Unhand Mr. Malfoy at once!" Professor McGonagall swept down the corridor.

Both boys felt as though they'd been dowsed in icy water. Harry let go of Draco's wrists and took several steps back.

"Boys, I'm disappointed in you. You are adults now, and petty fighting in the halls should be beneath you. What do you have to say for yourselves?"

"I'm sorry, Professor."

"It won't happen again, Professor."

"See that it doesn't. Twenty points each from Gryffindor and Slytherin. Now back to your common rooms with both of you. Go on, now."

The boys shared a long look, full of new awareness and...promise? Then they turned and went their separate ways, knowing something vital had changed between them.


End file.
